After meeting with new offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, Pouncey came away impressed.

“I’m glad those guys are here,” Pouncey said “They sound like they brought some winners into our program, and that’s what we want around there in Miami.”

Pouncey had some help adjusting to the NFL’s learning curve. His twin brother, Maurkice, the Steelers All-Pro center, entered the NFL in 2010, a season ahead of Mike. That extra year provided plenty of insight that could be passed along.

“I love him for that,” Pouncey said. “I had somebody to turn to when I had nothing. Being a rookie in the NFL, you’re clueless to everything, and my brother, he was there. He was the one person I could call on the phone.”

There wasn’t just an on-field maturation for Pouncey, a big part of adjusting to the pro game was growing up off it.

“You’re the CEO of your own self,” he said. “How you carry yourself is what people are going to respect about you the most, outside of you’re playing ability.”

When looking back on his first year, Pouncey felt that Dallas Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jay Ratliff was his toughest matchup.

“He gave me the best game,” Pouncey said. “I talked to him after the game, and I said, ‘Thank you, you made me better today.’”

Pouncey, who started all 16 games at center, is anticipating big things when he arrives for workouts in March.

“I can’t wait to meet all the guys because I think we’re going to do something great down there this year,” Pouncey said.

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